Train to Retain: Why Proper Onboarding is the Key to Long-Term Veterinary Staff

Veterinary medicine has a retention problem, and if you’re feeling the pinch of constant turnover, you’re not alone.

Between burnout, unclear expectations, and lack of training, it’s no surprise that team members are leaving in droves. But what if I told you there’s a powerful, proven solution?

One that not only improves retention but also boosts morale, productivity, and client care?

📣 It’s training.

Specifically, structured, thoughtful onboarding and ongoing education, especially at the front desk.

📉 The Cost of Turnover

Let’s talk numbers. Replacing just one team member can cost your clinic up to $15,000, factoring in recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity, and the ripple effect on the rest of your team.

Even worse?

🔁 20% of staff turnover happens within the first 45 days.

And yet, many clinics still hand a new receptionist the phone and a login and hope for the best.

📈 The Power of Proper Training

Here’s what the data tells us:

• 94% of employees say they’d stay longer if their employer invested in learning and development

• Clinics with a strong learning culture see 30–50% higher retention

• Structured onboarding improves new hire retention by up to 82%

• Engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave

• Businesses that invest in training enjoy 24% higher profit margins

In other words: Training isn’t an expense, it’s an investment.

🧠 Why This Matters for Front Desk Staff

Reception is the heart of your clinic’s communication. They manage the phones, the clients, the tension, and the chaos…and often with little formal training.

When a new hire is supported with a clear structure, practical scripts, and insight into why things are done a certain way, they’re more confident, more compassionate, and far more likely to stay.

🧰 How I Can Help

If you’re ready to stop the turnover cycle, I’ve created two resources designed specifically for veterinary front desk training:

1️⃣ The Veterinary Reception Training Guide

Packed with scripts, explanations, protocols, and client education strategies. It’s everything your front desk team needs to feel prepared and confident.

2️⃣ The New Hire Onboarding Guide

Designed with trainers in mind, this customizable guide includes clinic-specific prompts, confidence trackers, check-ins, and training timelines that actually work.

Together, they lay the foundation for success, for both your staff and your clinic.

🛒 Ready to Build a Team That Stays?

Visit www.pawsitivereception.ca to grab your guides (available in digital or physical formats).

Invest in your team. Empower your reception.

Train to retain.

💬 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Have questions? Want to chat about what onboarding could look like for your unique clinic?

DM me or book a Zoom consult right from the website.

📚 Sources

1. LinkedIn Learning. (2019). 2019 Workplace Learning Report.
   https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/94-employees-say-would-stay-company-longer-if-career-linkedin-learning

2. SHRM. (2022). The Value of Learning and Development in Employee Retention.
   https://www.myshortlister.com/insights/employee-training-statistics

3. Devlin Peck. (2023). Employee Onboarding Statistics.
   https://www.devlinpeck.com/content/employee-onboarding-statistics

4. HR Cloud. (2024). 15 Employee Onboarding Statistics You Must Know.
   https://www.hrcloud.com/blog/employee-onboarding-statistics-you-must-know-in

5. Thirst.io. (2025). Top Employee Onboarding Statistics for 2025.
   https://thirst.io/blog/employee-onboarding-statistics-for-2025

6. Eddy. (2024). Onboarding Statistics That Prove the Power of Great Beginnings.
   https://eddy.com/article/onboarding-statistics

7. Preppio. (2023). Employee Onboarding Research & Statistics.
   https://www.preppio.com/blog/employee-onboarding-research-statistics

8. Brandon Hall Group. (2021). Impact of Effective Onboarding on Retention.
   (Referenced via UrbanBound and HR Cloud summaries)